Sale 50: United States Postal History

Lot 310    

1847 (Jul. 2) Bremen to Baltimore, Md, folded letter endorsed "p. Steamer Washington", Bremen (7.2) origin cds and dark magenta framed "Paid." handstamp, red London "Paid 5 JY 1847" cds and magenta "1/6" credit rating to G.B., carried by Ocean Line Washington from Southampton Jul. 15 to New York arriving Jul. 30, Baltimore blue "29" due rating for U.S. 5¢ inland postage and 24¢ American packet fee, Very Fine, Carried on the Maiden Return Voyage of American Packet Service by Collins Line Washington.
Estimate    $2,000 - 3,000.

While letters on the eastbound route during the Discriminatory Rate period are relatively rare, those on westbound voyages are exceptional. On arrival at New York, they were charged the full US sea postage rate of 24 cents plus the appropriate inland rate for delivery. The "Washington" was delayed 2½ days due to repairs.

Realized: $8,000

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Lot 311    

1847 (Dec. 9) Damme, Oldenburg to Nacogdoches, Tex., folded cover carried privately to Bremen and posted with "Bremen 13/12" cds, carried by Ocean Line Washington from Bremerhaven Dec. 13 to New York arriving Jan. 16, New York red "24" due rating for transatlantic fee, final blue manuscript "34" cents due rating, Very Fine, a scarce Bremen Mail Treaty cover to Texas.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Realized: $1,100

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Lot 312    

(Retaliatory Rates) 1848 (Jul. 2) Münster, Prussia to New York, N.Y., folded cover endorsed "via England per mail steamer" with "Münster 3/7" origin cds and magenta "fro 20" silbergroschen rating for single rate, manuscript "1/8" credit to U.K. and Liverpool "JY 7" transit, carried by Cunard Line Hibernia from Liverpool Jul. 8 to New York arriving Jul. 21, New York "24" rate handstamp for retaliatory fee to arrival port, Very Fine and scarce non-U.K. origin.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Letter carried on the third Cunard mail voyage to the United States under the retaliatory order. Prepayment in Germany covered all transit fees in the open mail through Prussia, Belgium and British mail systems to U.S. port. Retaliatory order applied to mails from all foreign countries transiting through the United Kingdom carried to the U.S. by foreign vessels.

Realized: $280

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Lot 313    

(Retaliatory Rates) 1848 (Jul. 3) Frankfurt, Germany to Hamilton, Oh., folded letter with red "Frankfurt 3 Jul. 1848" cds and red manuscript "43" kreuzer rating, framed "P.D." handstamp for paid direct, red French and London (7.7) transits, as well as Liverpool (7.7), carried by Cunard Line Hibernia from Liverpool Jul. 8 to New York arriving Jul. 21, red "New-York 'Ship 34cts' Jul 22" retaliatory cds for 10¢ inland postage plus the 24¢ packet fee, Very Fine and scarce retaliatory rate cover from Germany.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Letter carried on the 3rd of 25 Cunard mail westbound voyages to the U.S. under the retaliatory order. Prepayment in Germany covered all transit fees through French and British mail systems to U.S. port.

Realized: $550

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Lot 314    

(Retaliatory Rates) 1848 (Nov. 10) Hamburg, Germany to Philadelphia, Pa., folded letter prepaid with magenta "1.6" 1sh 6d credit from Hamburg to England, London (11.13) and Liverpool (11.13) transits, carried by Cunard Line Britannia from Liverpool Nov. 18 to Boston arriving Dec. 6, red "Boston Ms. 'Ship' Dec 6" cds and matching "34" retaliatory rate h.s. for 10¢ inland plus 24¢ packet fee, Very Fine.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Letter carried on the 22nd of 25 Cunard mail voyages to the U.S. under the retaliatory order.

Realized: $230

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Lot 315    

(Retaliatory Rates) 1848 (Nov. 20) Bremen to Petersburg, Va., folded letter endorsed "p. Steamer Via Ostend" with Bremen (11.20) cds and matching "Franco" straightline, London (11.23) and Liverpool (11.24) transits with magenta "1/8" 1s8d credit rating to G.B., carried by Cunard Line Canada from Liverpool Nov. 25 to New York arriving Dec. 14, red "New York 'Ship 34cts" entry cds for 10¢ inland postage plus 24¢ packet fee, Very Fine and scarce retaliatory rate cover from Germany.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Letter carried on the 23rd of 25 Cunard mail west bound voyages to the U.S. under the retaliatory order.

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Lot 316    

(Restored Rates) 1849 (Feb. 9) Dresden, Saxony to Boston, Mass., folded letter with "Dresden 9 Feb 49" double circle date stamp, various crayon ratings, Bremen (3.16) backstamp and magenta "Paid All." framed h.s., carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Bremerhaven Mar. 20 to New York arriving Apr. 13, Very Fine, one of only five recorded examples of Bremen magenta "Part Paid" boxed marking.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Saxony credited 162 pfennige to Prussia (red crayon lower left), but Prussia erred in converting this to gutegroschen (Hannover currency). Prussia credited Hannover with only 11 ggr. (magenta pen lower left) instead of 13 ggr. Hannover subtracted 2 ggr. transit fee across Hannover and credited Bremen 9 ggr., which Bremen converted to 24 grote credit to the U.S., the American packet rate to New York. As a result of the original Prussia error, New York had to mark the letter for 5¢ postage due to be collected in Boston, even though original payment was sufficient.

Realized: $1,500

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Lot 317    

(Restored Rates) 1849 (Feb. 11) Dresden, Saxony to Boston, Mass., folded letter with "Dresden 11 Feb 49" double circle date stamp, various crayon ratings, Bremen (3.16) backstamp and magenta "Paid All." framed h.s., carried by Ocean Line Hermann from Bremerhaven Mar. 20 to New York arriving Apr. 13, Very Fine, one of only seven recorded examples of Bremen magenta "Paid All" boxed marking.
Estimate    $200 - 300.

Saxony credited 163 pfennige to Prussia (black pen lower left). Prussia correctly converted this to 13 gutegroschen (Hannover currency), marked in magenta pen lower left. Hannover subtracted 2 ggr. for Hannover transit and credited Bremen 10 11/12 ggr., which Bremen converted to 29 grote credit to the U.S. (American packet rate to New York plus the U.S. internal fee to Boston).

Realized: $1,300

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Lot 318    

1851 (Apr. 27) Haslach, Baden to New York, N.Y., folded letter with blue "Haslach/28. Apr." postmark and manuscript "34/4" kreuzer (38) prepaid rating on reverse, Kehl red "P." framed h.s., red London (5.1) transit cds, letter in closed bag to New York, carried by Cunard Line Cambria from Liverpool May 3 to Boston arriving May 15, New York black "5" circled due rating for 5¢ inland postage, Very Fine, this is the latest date recorded for open mails through London, thereafter French mails to the U.S. were sent through London in closed bags.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

The red boxed "P" handstamp struck at the Kehl exchange office in accordance with the 1846 Franco-Baden postal convention to show payment through France. This marking is uncommon.

Realized: $280

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Lot 319    

1851 (Apr. 30) Lübbecke, Prussia to Philadelphia, Pa., cover with "Lübbecke 30/4" boxed postmark and sent unpaid, Bremen (5.1) backstamp, carried by Ocean Line Washington from Bremerhaven May 16 to New York arriving June 2; light aging, F.-V.F., this is the only recorded example of this "Steamship 41 Cts" 28mm circular marking.
Estimate    $300 - 400.

Postage due included 24¢ U.S. sea postage, 5¢ U.S. inland postage and 12¢ German transit postage from Prussia to Bremen. This handmade envelope shows no year date, but 1851 has been determined to be the most probable year based on steamship sailing data and similar STEAMSHIP markings used at New York. Note the "1" is inverted, indicating the numeral slugs were interchangeable.

Realized: $1,200

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